Somalia UN 412 and crew captured

[Cyclic Hotline]

www.voanews.com/amp/un-helicopter-lands-in-al-shabab-territory-somali-officials/7434447.html

AFRICA (https://www.voanews.com/z/612)Somali Officials: UN Helicopter Landed in al-Shabab TerritoryLast updated on: January 10, 2024 9:25 PM

Harun Maruf (https://www.voanews.com/author/harun-maruf/pb-my)
Margaret Besheer (https://www.voanews.com/author/margaret-besheer/t-i__)


The United Nations said Wednesday that efforts were underway to respond to the U.N.-contracted helicopter that al-Shabab militants captured earlier in the day in Galmudug state.

"I can confirm there was an incident involving a U.N.-contracted helicopter that took place today in Galmudug in Somalia,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters at a daily briefing in New York.

“Response efforts are underway, but for the sake of the safety of all those on board, we are not going to say anything more at this point,” Dujarric said.

The helicopter was traveling from Beledwenye in Hirshabelle state to Wisil in Galmudug for what officials said was a medical evacuation. It landed in al-Shabab territory in central Somalia near Xiindheere in Galmudug state, Somali officials told VOA Somali.

Officials say they believed al-Shabab militants captured most of the nine occupants. Their nationalities were not known.

“It was a helicopter, it was carrying workers, and it was one of those helicopters that help Somalia evacuate the wounded,” Farah Diriye Warsame, district commissioner of Adado town in Galmudug, told VOA Somali.

“I heard the helicopter had problems, and the pilot decided to land it rather than risk it blowing up in midair, and has landed it safely,” Warsame said.

A Somali government official, who did not want to be identified because he was not allowed to speak with reporters, said the Bell 412 helicopter had technical problems.

It was not clear whether a mechanical issue or possible gunfire from al-Shabab militants who control the area caused the technical problems.

Warsame said locals in the vicinity told him that al-Shabab fighters arrived at the site and abducted crew members and passengers.

Warsame also cited locals who said al-Shabab set the helicopter on fire.

U.N. helicopter crews in Somalia are largely hired by the U.N. Support Office in Somalia, which aids the African Union Mission in Somalia, the U.N. office and the Somali government

[admikar]

I hope it's Brits or American among those captured.
SAS/SEAL tend to bring some bad karma to bad people.

[212man]

Anyone know who the operator is? GHS?

[Hot_LZ]

My money is on GHS. They do well with UN contracts in Africa on 412 & 225.

LZ

[Cyclic Hotline]

The Somali government acquired a number of 412's last year from "unknown sources", which are being operated for UNSOM according to various reports. Not sure if this is one of them or a separate contractor.

Bell 412 helicopters support Somalia's counter-insurgency efforts - defenceWeb (https://www.defenceweb.co.za/aerospace/bell-412-helicopters-support-somalias-counter-insurgency-efforts/)Bell 412 helicopters support Somalia’s counter-insurgency effortsOlwethu Phoko -
8th September 2023
558https://www.defenceweb.co.za/wp-content/uploads/Unorganized/Bell_412_USDoD.webp (https://www.defenceweb.co.za/wp-content/uploads/Unorganized/Bell_412_USDoD.webp)A Bell 412 helicopter.The delivery of Bell 412 helicopters to Somalia’s government has provided a critical boost to its counter-insurgency capabilities, marking a significant development in the country’s long-running dispute with the al-Shabaab terrorist organization.

According to Somali news website Caasimada (https://www.caasimada.net/), military sources reported that Mogadishu received two Bell 412 helicopters in July, and three more are believed to be on the way.

The helicopters were initially used for casualty evacuation, but they can also play a role in combat operations, a source told the publication, as Somalia battles to protect its territory and maintain regional stability.

It is not clear from where the helicopters originated. According to Shephard Media (https://www.shephardmedia.com/), whether Somalia paid for the Bell 412s or received them as a gift is still unknown. Scramble magazine reported that earlier this year, two ex-Italian AgustaBell AB412s (6O-AAG and 6O-AAH) arrived in Somalia, but it’s not clear if these are the same helicopters.

Somali news outlets have reported that pilots, technicians and Special Forces have undergone training in Turkey, indicating a possible connection there. The fact that Turkey sent utility trucks and armoured vehicles to Somalia in 2020 as part of a larger military and financial cooperation arrangement highlights the two countries’ cooperative efforts.

Challenges to come

The Somali administration still faces significant obstacles despite some gains against al-Shabaab. However, the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which is commencing a phased departure and handing over security responsibilities to Somali security forces, has kept the security environment unpredictable.

Foreign assistance to Somalia’s military

Along with the Bell 412 helicopters, a large amount of military hardware has arrived recently in Somalia. This reportedly includes ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns, 120 mm mortars, and other weapons.

Several nations, including the United States, have provided military assistance to Somalia – for example, six Puma M36 armoured vehicles were delivered by the United States African Command (AFRICOM) in July 2021 to assist Somali security forces. The United States has made other donations to the Somali military, including Bastion armoured personnel carriers, which some perceive as a move to balance Turkey’s expanding influence in the area.

Most recently, in January the US handed over $9 million worth of light and heavy machine guns, support and construction vehicles, explosive ordinance disposal kits, medical supplies and other equipment to the Somali National Army to support its fight against al-Shabaab.

[Less Hair]

There seem to be Mi-8 family helicopters in UN service as well. Some sources claim six occupants, others nine. Is a Bell confirmed somehow?

[212man]

There seem to be Mi-8 family helicopters in UN service as well. Some sources claim six occupants, others nine. Is a Bell confirmed somehow?
It's a key question, it seems an official was quoted saying B412, but I have another source who has just met with the UN today, who suggests it was a Russian type

[Cyclic Hotline]

More to this, including 4 Ukraininans aboard, so perhaps a Mi-8 or Mi-17. Identified as UNSOW RW 667?

https://www.bbc.com/somali/articles/cgxjj7ez0wkoThe additional information received from the people and the aircraft that Al Shabaab took control ofhttps://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/2c2b/live/ea9e1510-b08d-11ee-8f07-bbfdfa890097.jpg
IMAGE QUOTE,GETTY IMAGES
49 minutes agoWe have not yet received complete information about the helicopter that was handed over to Al Shabaab yesterday, which, according to reports, landed in an area where Al Shabaab is located. It took off from Beledweyen and went to towards Wisil area.

However, according to the BBC's information from the United Nations, the total number of people on the plane was nine people.

This information shows that the people on the plane were a Somali soldier, a Ugandan nurse, an Egyptian doctor, two people from Kenya and four people who were the flight crew from Ukraine.

Unconfirmed reports said that the Al Shabaab group killed the Egyptian doctor, while the Somali soldier and the Ugandan nurse escaped from the scene. The six people captured by al-Shabaab are two Kenyans, a man and a woman, and four Ukrainians.

I was in contact with the Galmudug regional government and they said that until now there is no news about the two people who escaped and they have not reached the areas they are dealing with.

But the minister of information of the federal government, Daoud Aweys, told Reuetrs agency that they are working hard to rescue people who are in the hands of Al Shabaab.

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/7818/live/3b3e5750-b08e-11ee-bc2f-cb5579b90709.jpg
IMAGE QUOTE,AP
The plane, which is said to be registered under the number UNSOW RW 667, has been reported to have landed quickly near the Gadoon area called Haabow, which is 70 kilometers from the city of Dhusamareb, the capital of Galmudug. one of the wings of the helicopter fell. On Wednesday at 01:30 pm Somali time, it was reported that the plane had landed.

The United Nations Office in Somalia has confirmed that most of the people on the plane were not their employees.

Unconfirmed reports from the area where the plane landed say that Al Shabaab cut off the entire interior before taking away the people on the plane.

The United Nations office in Somalia has said that they have stopped all flights in the Galgaduud region, as we have received from sources in the United Nations. Also, for a period of 48 hours starting when the plane was hijacked, they said that they have stopped all their flights like helicopters.

The state of Galmudug in Somalia has been fighting for almost a year against al-Shabaab, which they have been clearing from their areas. Al Shabaab has been fighting in the areas it is currently fighting for decades. The government of Somalia and its international friends have supported this war.

It was said that this plane was carrying medicine and also medical workers who wanted to provide aid to the troops in the fields.

The most serious areas of the war are the areas of Aad and Jejjeh, where there is a fierce battle between Al Shabaab and the Galmudug forces and the local people who are supported by the Somali government forces.

It is said that the ATMIS forces have also been put on alert in all the areas used by the planes.

[Cyclic Hotline]

The identifier quoted above relates to UR-CDF, Mil-8MTV, S/No: 95224.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1333/51553749890_264fd99722_k_2161a4f473bb7694f3171c9a2442f6a43a7 bf64f.jpg

[malabo]

A few of us were in Somalia 30 years ago, on 212 and 412. SASless? If you went down you'd holler for help on the HF and if you were lucky the cavalry (Australian Special Forces) would hop in another 212 and secure things while the engineer got you going again. Towards the end we flew half-empty, paired machines - if you went down the second one would pick up the crew and abandon it. Nothing's changed.

They should have paid us more, but being young, 5 hours on type and flying the Wild West without rules had its charm. Next best thing to flying fires.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1205/img_0206_0e13686807d69cb83ce612d3d1fe312764fff876.jpeg